On this Christmas eve, US Senators representing two thirds of the American public voted in favor of the most sweeping reform of healthcare in our nation’s history.<\/p>\n
So, first point: There was nothing anti-democratic here. This was a broad daylight, all-eyes-on-you decision by a Democratic Party that is currently functioning with a massive mandate.<\/p>\n
More numbers? By now, everyone understands that this reform package is a muddle at best, a mess at worst. It’s too expensive and doesn’t do enough, and that’s a lousy combination.<\/p>\n
So, second point: The fix needs fixing, and that will come. Despite rhetoric from the Right, legislation of this kind isn’t carved in stone. <\/p>\n
Cost containment will have to follow, or the Chinese will stop collecting our IOUs.<\/p>\n
And finally, it should by now be clear to everyone that the peculiar dynamics of this Democratic moment in history are profoundly centrist.<\/p>\n
The one ‘liberal’ aspect of this bill is that it will likely be very expensive. (I’m very skeptical about the CBO’s report.) <\/p>\n
Responding to political necessity, reform backers jettisoned every single progressive standard, from single payer to the public option.<\/p>\n
And President Barack Obama never objected.<\/p>\n
Mr. Obama comes from the US Senate; and true to his political roots, he is neither a culture warrior nor a fire-burner. <\/p>\n
He is an incrementalist, a tweaker, a step-by-step manager. <\/p>\n
With Harry Reid running the US Senate and a very powerful Blue Dog wing, what you see is what you get.<\/p>\n
In this case, Democrats moved healthcare reform farther than any other political movement in the last half-century.<\/p>\n
Will that be enough for America? <\/p>\n
Will Mr. Obama’s temperate demeanor assuage some of the hostility from conservatives? Or will it merely inflame impatient liberals, who want bigger steps faster?<\/p>\n
The biggest number in all these calculations is 2010, when once again the American people will chime in and tell Washington if it’s on the right track.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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